Finalists Revealed for 5th Annual British Ex-Forces in Business Awards

The world’s largest and leading celebration of military veterans in second careers returns for its fifth annual edition, with a shortlist showcasing the huge breadth of ex-forces talent.

The finalists for the 2022 British Ex-Forces in Business Awards, the largest business celebration globally of the Armed Forces community, are today revealed, demonstrating the significant scale and range of talents among UK veterans.

The thousands of servicemen and women who leave the British Armed Forces each year create a rich talent pool for employers across all sectors to tap into. The world-class skills and renowned values nurtured within the British Armed Forces arm service leavers with the experience, capability and aptitude to offer great value to businesses. 

However, establishing a meaningful second career can be challenging, with visibility of role models, and awareness among employers of the veterans talent pool, historically lacking. A third of UK hirers told a study by SSAFA they’d feel reluctant hiring a veteran, and just 48% of workers said they would feel comfortable working with a service leaver.

Depictions of veterans in mainstream media, TV and film fuel misconceptions which create and exacerbate the challenges facing service leavers. Since launching in 2018, the Ex-Forces in Business Awards has led the way in promoting a more positive and accurate representation of veterans, as assets to employers across all major industries.

The Awards programme is also a powerful vehicle for increasing visibility of both role models and career opportunities for veterans, and educating employers on the exceptional transferable talents among military service leavers. This year’s UK shortlist exhibits the second-career achievements of over 200 veterans and reservists, whittled down from a record-breaking 700 nominations. The breadth of opportunities available to veterans are evident through the big variety of sectors represented on the shortlist.

Alistair Currie, Global Head of Consumer Banking & Payments at Barclays, Headline Sponsor of the awards programme, said: “As a leading employer of UK veterans and admirer of their skills and talents, Barclays are extremely proud to be headline sponsor of the British Ex-Forces in Business Awards for the third year running, and we congratulate all of the finalists for being incredible role models to the wider Armed Forces community. 

“Having recruited over 700 veterans and supported thousands more through our Military and Veterans Outreach programmes, we are fully aware of how beneficial military-gained skills and values are, and Barclays is a better business because of our veteran and Reservist colleagues.

“These Awards play a crucial role in promoting the huge value that ex-forces personnel add in their second careers, both to their individual employers and to the economy as a whole. It is wonderful to see the veteran community come together in force and it’s inspiring to see the positive impact of veterans across the broad spectrum of British industry.”

The winners of this year’s British Ex-Forces in Business Awards will be announced and celebrated at a sparkling ceremony on 8 September. Broadcaster Jacqui Oatley MBE will welcome over 1,000 business and military leaders to the Grosvenor House hotel’s prestigious Great Room on Park Lane. As well as hosting the highly anticipated awards ceremony, Oatley will introduce a programme of live entertainment and special guest speakers including Air Marshal Dame Sue Gray, the UK’s first female three-star officer.

Sponsors of the Awards include Barclays, Amazon, Microsoft, AECOM, Aphex, Barratt Developments, FDM Group, Galliford Try, Irwin Mitchell, Santander and Vistry Group. The winners are decided by a judging panel of business leaders from organisations including Boeing, Dell, Ernst & Young, GB Snowsport, John Lewis, Knight Frank, Lloyds Banking Group, MBDA, Northern Trust, Provident Financial Group, Serco and the NHS.

Lt. Gen. Sir Andrew Gregory, CEO at SSAFA, Official Charity Partner of the Awards, said: “All of us at SSAFA send our warmest congratulations to those who have been shortlisted for this the fifth annual British Ex-Forces in Business Awards. SSAFA, the Armed Forces charity, is extremely proud and grateful to be the official charity partner of this fine event that celebrates veteran employment and helps to increase visibility of business role models for servicemen and women. It is heartening to see such a large volume and breadth of employers acknowledging the skills and values of those who have served their country.”

British Ex-Forces in Business Awards 2022 – The Finalists

ADVOCATE OF THE YEAR

Andrew Geelan, BAE Systems
Anna Vere, Somerset NHS Foundation Trust
Carter Bowman, Barclays
Edward Beckingham, Barratt Developments
John Marshall, Morrison Water Services
Marcus Peters, RWE Renewables
Patsy Legender, Newcastle Strategic Solutions
Rachel Evans, Sodexo
Sarah Stephens, Marsh
Scott Burman, NCC Group
Stephen Bremner, L Lynch Plant Hire & Haulage
Sue Richards, Barclays

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR (Large Company)

Amelia Gould, BAE Systems
Dan Hudson, Rolls-Royce
James Todd, Barclays
Louisa Clarke, Churchill Group
Ned Flaxman, Krka
Paul Farmer, Heathrow Airport
Phil Crick, Amey
Rhodri Darch, Oodle Car Finance
Richard Thorpe, CityFibre
Simon Short, Advanced
Simon Taylor, GAP
Thomas Harding, Sportradar

BUSINESS LEADER OF THE YEAR (SME)

Daniel Walker, Castle International
John Climpson, Invictus Leadership / Full Send Recordings
John Grindrod, Functional Training Company
Martin Keise, Telelink UK
Michael Pemberton, BEC
Mike Crofts, Amodigo
Mike Gillespie, Advent IM
Nick Lambert, NLA International
Paul Field, WFP Fire & Security
Richard Morecroft, Mode Global Holdings
Tony Harris, tlmNexus
Trayton Vance, Coaching Focus

CHAMPION OF WOMEN AWARD

Annette Berry, RFEA – The Forces Employment Charity
April Young, Capgemini
Audrey Stevenson, Boeing Defence UK
Danielle Sandy, Barclays
Gill Rodwell, Amazon
Jade Thomas, Openreach
Rachel Tomkins, Tideway
Rebs Foran-Coutts, BAE Systems Digital Intelligence
Sarah-Jane La Roche, CBRE Global Workplace Solutions (GWS)
Sophie Thomas, Aquila
Stephanie Shaw, BP
Victoria Craig, Raeburn Drilling and Geotechnical

EMPLOYER OF THE YEAR

AAA Caring Caretaker
Adler and Allan
AECOM
Amazon
Barclays
CBRE
Galliford Try
Greater Manchester Police
Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL)
Schroders
SSGC
Train4All Construction & Engineering Academy

ENGINEERING EXCELLENCE AWARD

Alan James Shepherd, Outotec
Andy Bullen, Rolls-Royce
Andy Cullup, Galliford Try
Brett Bray, Fastenal
Craig Small, Kier
David Webster, Galliford Try
Des Cook, RINA Consulting Defence
Guy Dabell, CBRE
Jim Eden, Adler and Allan
Paul Andrews, Babcock International
Peter Bicknell, 22 Bishopsgate
Simon Tole, Viking Arms

ENTREPRENEUR OF THE YEAR

Adam Sebba, The Luminaire
Chris Whitaker, Martin & Co
Dan Blake, Florence
Edward Goodchild, Arbor Steel
Eli Khrapko, Wype
Harrison Young, Medical Training Solutions
Henry Waterfield, Spot Ship
John Dibb, Priority Digital Health
Kelly & Jamie Farr, YourNorth
Martyn Gill, ORNA Inc.
Paul Montgomery, Sir Fix-a-lock
Sam Burgess, SamsonVT

EX-FORCES INITIATIVE OF THE YEAR

Barclays Military Talent Scheme, Barclays
Forces Transition Group
Military Spouses Employability Programme, Naval Families Federation & Barclays
OnBoarding Officers
Phoenix Heroes
Project Soft Landing, Jacobs
Royal British Legion Industries
Standing Tall Foundation
Supported Living Gateway
TechVets
The Transformer Lifestyle Company
VetNet BAE Systems

INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR

Adam Duffield, Cyberjag
Alan Plater, Galliford Try
Eddie Anderson, Ascent Flight Training
Emma Morgan, Amazon
James Edmondson, Anglian Water Services
Mark Bromwell, Jambuzi
Merolyn Whitaker, University of Oxford Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Lab
Paul Armstrong, Rheinmetall Defence UK
Rich Saunders, Ascent Flight Training
Sam Mettam, Jazz Pharmaceuticals
Stephen Green, Kroll

INSPIRATION OF THE YEAR

Andy White, Barclays
Brian Whitelaw, Galliford Try
David Atkinson, York St John University/Divesitus CIC
Emma Louise Herron, Wirth Research
Emma Riley, RX
James Rose, SSGC
Jax Gough, Vodafone Group
Jon Hilton, Pulse Rate Training
Mark Bayliss, Jones Lang LaSalle
Michelle Ensuque, EDF / Meliusse
Paul Airey, Santander
Samantha Wood, Creative Inspiration

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

Al Gardiner, Honey Group
Andrew Cooper, Nammo
Charles Skinner, Janus Security Services
Esmon George MBE, Ministry of Defence
Gus Macfarlane, Barclays
Mark Drummond-Brady, Marsh
Mark Greenfield, Ultimate High
Paul Kerridge, M Group Services Energy Division
Richard Cutland, Wargaming.net
Stephen Brookes, Compass Leadership
Steve Hewings, Morrison Energy Services
Tammy Archer, Inchcape

MILITARY VALUES IN BUSINESS AWARD

Andrew Buckham, Irwin Mitchell
Ben McNally, Adler and Allan
Colin Maskelyne, Sodexo
Dean Bellman, Mace
Jonathan Norbury, Lloyds Bank Private Banking
Lewis Little, Vistry Group
Lindsey Partington, Sodexo
Matthew Thomas , Amazon
Neil Jurd, neiljurd.com
Paul Kearney, Everyone (Inclusion Inc)
Phil Bartle, Signature Flight Support
Yasin Qadir, Gearset / Cloudbees

NEW SERVICE LEAVER OF THE YEAR

Christian Houghton, Galliford Try
Darren Wright, SPOR Group
David Goodacre, Barclays
Freddie Drummond, Schroders
James MacMartin, Vistry Group
Jamie Marshall, FDM Group
Jim Freeman, Galliford Try
John Frame, Kuehne + Nagel
Leigh Ashton, Securitas
Stuart Potter, Barclays
Wes Norton, Barratt Developments (David Wilson Homes)
Zoe Savage, Sodexo

OUTSTANDING ACHIEVER OF THE YEAR

Brian Rendell, Kuehne + Nagel
Brian Usher, Mace
Chris Parker, Ascent Flight Training
Ethran Charles, Kuehne + Nagel
Greg Joliffe, Sodexo
Greg Morgan, Galliford Try
Kate Aziz, S&P Global
Neil Perriton, iXblue
Nick Vadis, Compass Group UK&I
Paul Harris, Barclays
Phil Smith, Barratt London
Rob Spittles, Vistry Group

RESERVIST OF THE YEAR

Chris Freemantle, System Group
Chris Priest, M Group Services Telecom Division
Chris Sowter, Amazon
Georgina Hewson, Leaflike
James Tufnell, Capgemini
Kevin Short, Babcock International Group
Leighton Hughes, Advent IM
Mark Edwards, Jacobs
Paul Hutchinson, Atkins
Richard Ryan, BAE Systems Electronic Systems
Ross Gurney, Sodexo
Tony McCluskey, John Lewis Partnership

RISING STAR OF THE YEAR

Aaron Robinson, Adler and Allan
Bill MacPherson, Roke Manor Research
David Jenkinson, AECOM
John Kerr, Kuehne + Nagel
Jonathan Emery, General Electric
Max Cassily, Amazon
Michael Mercer, Sodexo
Nick Foulkes, Mace
Peter Shergold, Cats Protection
Rob Kelly, Jacobs
Ryan Keys, Crest Nicholson Eastern
Zoe Poulton, Glass Ripple Consulting

ROLE MODEL OF THE YEAR

Bernard McPhail, Plentific
Christopher Ashford, Ashford Fitness Consultancy / Kingdom Fitness
David Adams, Marsh
Graham Hennigan, Barclays
Jamie Swinstead, Barclaycard Payments
Jo Salter MBE, PwC
Rob Arnott, Red7Marine
Robert Lakey, QinetiQ
Ryan Wells, Amazon
Sarah Hogan-Berrow, Openreach
Thomas Plater, Mace
Tom Jupp, Vistry Group

SERVICE LEAVER OF THE YEAR

Ben Wilson, Galliford Try
Daniel Penfold, Tarmac
Darren Carlile, AECOM
Darryll Boden, Eurostar
Frazer Felton, THG Labs
Helen Maguire, Claygate Recreation Ground Trust / Clear Thoughts
John Scorer, Alliance Healthcare DL
Martyn Cook, Barclays
Michael Collins, Egis
Ron Evans, Expleo Group
Stuart Podmore, Schroders

TEAM LEADER OF THE YEAR

Andy Lingham, Kier
Brett Fennell, Vistry Group
David Janvier, Galliford Try
Gary Hird, Sodexo
Gavin Cleverley, Galliford Try
Matthew Kenyon, Sodexo
Mick Walters, Roke
Mick Whalley, ITV
Richard Tucker MBE, AAA Caring Caretaker
Richard Inman, CEVA Logistics
Steven Hancock, Babcock International
Trevor Douce, Bureau Veritas

YOUNG LEADER OF THE YEAR

Alexander Chikhani, Net Zero Aviation Fuels
Angus Osborne-White, Crawford & Company
Archie Horne, Willis Towers Watson
Cal Rose, Wessex Water
Chris Crowther, Equifax
Chris Watters, Costa Coffee
Iain MacFadyen, Roke Manor Research
Jack Batten, Somerset Bridge Group
Kage Brennan, Vistry Group
Michael Jantzen, IBM Consulting
Rick Sheer, NGS
Rob Purse, HSBC Asset Management